Lock



March 12, 1935.

T. J. CALDWELL 1,994,095 LOCK Fiied Jan. 10, 19:54 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I IITHOMAJJ (MW/[LL INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

March 12, 1935. T. J. C LDW LL 1,994,095

LOCK

Filed Jan. 10, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 2 77104445 I Gum [LL INVENT OR.

ATTORNEY.

March 12, 1935. V J. CALDWELL 1,994,095

' LOCK Filed Jan. 10, 1934 s sneets-sheet s THO/144s J C41 DIX/[1L INVEN'I'OR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 2 12, .1935

UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE LOCK Thomas J. Caldwell, Venice, Calif.

Application January 10,

16 Claims.

- in the accompanying drawings in which:

.Fig. 1 is a section of a single boltlock.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the single bolt lock of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view on the line 3-3 lookingtoward the night latch side.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view on the line 4-4 lookingtoward the night latch side.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a single bolt lock with the outside cover plateremoved.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a two bolt lock with outside cover plateremoved.

Fig. 7 is a side view of a three bolt lock with the outside cover plateremoved.

Fig. 8 is a section of a three bolt lock taken on the line 88.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged isometric view of key and key guard assembly andhub on pinion, with spiral groove in guard ring and hobs on the keysocket.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section of a lock showing a spiral design on theexternal surface of the key and bosses on the guard, and a slip designon the hub, and in the socket cavity.

Fig. 11 shows a section on line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged section of a lock showing bosses on the externalsurface of the key socket and slots in a double guard, the pairs ofslots being revolved through an angle.

Corresponding and like parts are designated in the drawings and thefollowing description by like reference numerals.

Referring to the figures, 10 represents generally the lock casing, 11 isthe removable socket key, 12 is a knob for hand operation of the bolt 13as a night latch. The pinion or rotatable element 14 operates the bolt13 or other mechanism, through engagement with the rack, teeth 15. Theinterior hub 16 of the pinion 14 protrudes into the -key-channel and isshaped externally to slip fit in the cavity of the socket l7 of the key12. The external surface of the key socket 17 is shaped to pass throughthe guard 19, by slipping or by rotation and slipping. The key hole 20is made larger than the key socket, and may be off-set from the centerline or rotation of the pinion 14. A baille plate 21 may be interposedbetween the entrance key hole and the 1934, Serial No. 706,092 (CI.70-14) ing in a corresponding depression in the front plate 24.

A single bolt structure is shown in Figs. 2 and 5 and a double boltmechanism is illustrated in Fig. 6, the pinion 14 not only actuating thebolt 13 but also driving the gear 14a which in turn operates .the bolt13a. through the rack teeth 15a. Obviously any number of bolts may bedriven by suitable gear trains'or other equivalent mechanisms, and athree-bolt structure is shown in Fig. '7 in which the driving pinion 14operates 1 the bolt 13 and also the gear 14a and the bolt 13a which hasdouble rack teeth trains shown at 15a and 15b. The rack 15b on the bolt13a drives the gears 14b and 140 to actuate the third bolt 13b. Any typeof gears may be used, and the projection of the bolt or bolts may beregulated by adjusting and selecting the suitable gear trains. The nightlatch knob 12 maybe attached to any one of the gears directly or throughan intermediate gear or pinion, to provide means for manually operatingthe bolts from the side of the lock opposite the keyhole without the useof the key. To avoid accidental movement of the bolts, they may be madeto closely fit the seats, or tension springs or other means may besupplied to increase their sliding friction.

The patterns of the opening of the guard 19 and on the pinion hub 16 maybe the same or they may be different and their orientation relativetoeach other may be different. The pattern of the guard opening ispreferably but not necessarily asymmetric, in which case the pinion mustbe rotated one or more complete revolutions to permit the removal of thekey. The pattern on the hub is also preferably asymmetric so that thekey socket 1'? may be slipped over the hub 16 only when the bolt 13 iscompletely retracted, or is Projected out the equivalent length of oneor ring 19 and of the hub 16 are preferably made as near the same as ispracticable, with due regard to allowing for suflicient thickness in thekey socket walls to give the necessary strength and rigidity. For thisreason the designs, if the same are preferably concentric, so that whenthe bolt is completely retracted the design of the hub 16 will beconcentric with the design or shape of the guard opening, andcorrespondingly the design of the inside of the key socket 17 and theoutside of the key socket will be concentric. The smaller the clearancebetween the pattern on the hub and the pattern on the guard, the morediilicult it becomes to turn the hub by the insertion of a burglars toolor the like through the guard opening.

The design of the hub 16, and the corresponding design of the cavity ofthe key socket 17 are, for a given lock and key, identical in shape andsize except for the necessary allowance for a slip fit. Thiscross-sectional design may be any closed figure, such as a square,triangle, heart, leaf, pear, or any irregular closed shape, but it ispreferably one which does not provide any projections, depressions,parallel edges or sharp angles which might be grasped for rotation by aburglars tool or a foreign key. The designed parts, that is the hub, theguard, the key cavity surface and the key socket external surface, arepreferably made of hard or hardened metal, to avoid fouling and to avoidpicking of the lock. Non-magnetic metal may also be desirable in somecases.

The cross-sectional design of the guard 19 opening and the design of theoutside of the key socket 17 may be a slip fit in which case the key ispassed through the guard by movement parallel to the key axis, or theymay also be spiral threads and grooves, or portions of threads andgrooves, in which case the socket outside pattern is threaded throughthe opening in the guard 19 by a turning movement around the key axis.s. 9, 10, and 11 illustrate two possible combinations of thismodification.

On Fig. 9, the interior of the key socket 17 is shown as a heart shape,adapted to be slipped over the hub 16 of the pinion 14 which is heartshaped in cross-section. The guard 19 has cut in the walls or surface ofits opening a spiral groove 25 adapted to permit the passagetherethrough of the projections or knobs 26 on the exterior of the keysocket 17. Figs. 10 and 11 represent an arrangement in which the spiralgroove 27 is cut in the exterior of the key socket 17 and knobs orprojections 28 are in the opening of the guard 19. Other arrangements ofspiral threads and grooves may be used. In each case it is necessary tothe action of the lock that the guard pattern and the exterior patternof the key socket must be out of register before the interior of thesocket key engages the hub 16 of the pinion 14. The hub may beengagedimmediately after the spiral movement is completed, which ispreferred, or enough clearance may be allowed so that the key may berotated freely before coming into engagement with the patterned hub 16to revolve it.

When the outside of the key socket is designed to pass through the guardby simple movement parallel to the key axis (in distinction to thespiral movement described for Figs. 9, 10 and 11) the interior of thekey socket may begin to engage the hub before the guard design and theexterior socket design are out of register. However, rotation of the hubis only possible when the key has been pushed inwardly so far that theexternal pattern of the key socket has passed the guard and beendisengaged from it. Similarly, in removing the key, the hub design mustbe oriented in the proper relation to the guard ring design before thekey may be removed from the hub and'through the guard. It is obviousthat the key may not be removed unless the hub has been revolved throughthe exact angle of symmetry, 01' a multiple of it, (which angle will be360 degrees or one complete revolution in the case of an asymmetricdesign).

Fig. 12 represents another modification having two guards 19 and 19a,each having parallel grooves 29 and 30 but the grooves in the two guardsbeing set at an angle of rotation with each other. The knobs 26 on theexterior of the key socket 17 are adapted to slide first through thegrooves 29 of guard 19, then the key is rotated until the knobs 26 willpass through the grooves 30 of the second guard 190, after which theinterior of the key socket engages the patterned hub 16, to rotate thepinion 14 and actuate the bolt 13. One advantage of this double guard isthe obstruction of the view of the interior designs, which aids inpreventing picking of the lock.

I may use my invention of a guard plate having an opening of selecteddesign through which may pass, when in register, a socket key whoseexterior is of corresponding design, to locking devices other than doorbolts as illustrated, for example for operating valves, locking sparetires, opening meters and other similar applications, in which theinterior of the socket after the socket passes the guard ring, coactswith shaped knobs or hubs which may then be rotated by the key toproduce the desired movement, for example opening or closing a valve.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe illustrated embodiments, but may be other- Wise embodied within thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a lock having a key hole on one side, a bolt, means including arotatable element to retract and project said bolt, a hub of selectedexternal design attached to said rotatable element and operable by asocket key whose unobstructed cavity is adapted when in register to fit'over and engage said hub, a fixed guard interposed between the key holeand said hub, the opening of said guard being of selected non-rotatabledesign adapted to permit the passage therethrough of the socket of saidkey and to permit disengagement of the socket key by the guard.

2. In a lock, a bolt,a rotatable element operable by a key having at oneend a socket whose unobstructed cavity in cross-section perpendicular tothe axis of rotation is of selected design and whose exterior shape isalso of selected non-rotatable design, a fixed guard having an openingadapted to permit the passage therethrough of the outside key socketdesign when the designs are in register and. to permit disengagement ofthe socket key by the guard, a hub attached to said rotatable element ofcross-sectional design conforming to the inside of said key socket, andmeans operatively connected with said rotatable element to actuate saidbolt upon rotating the key.

3. In a look, a bolt, a rotatable element operable by a key having atone end a socket whose unobstructed cavity in cross-sectionperpendicular to the axis of rotation is of selected design and whoseexterior shape is also of selected design, a

non-rotatable guard having an opening adapted to permit the passage.therethrough of the outside key socket design when the designs are inregister, a hub attached to said rotatable element of crosssectionaldesign conforming to the inside of said key socket, means operativelyconnected with said rotatable element to actuate said bolt upon rotatingthe key, and hand operated means for altering the orientation of the hubdesign relative to the guard design.

4. In a lock, a bolt, a rotatable element operable by a key having atone end a socket whose unobstructed cavity in cross-sectionperpendicular to the axis of rotatiton is of selected design and whoseexterior surface has cut thereon a selected spiral design, anon-rotatable guard having an. opening adapted to permit the passagetherethrough, when in register and upon rotation, of said key socket, ahub attached to said rotatable element of crosssectional designconforming to the inside of said key socket, and means operativelyconnected with said rotatable element to actuate said bolt upon rotatingthe key.

5. In a lock, a bolt, a rotatable element operable by a key having atone end a socket whose cavity in cross-section perpendicular -to theaxis of rotatiton is of selected design and whose exterior shape isadapted when in register and upon rotation to pass through the spirallycut design of a guard ring, a guard ring having an opening whose lateralsurface is of spirally cut design and adapted to permit the passagetherethrough when in register and upon rotation, of said key socket, ahub attached to said rotatable element of cross-sectional designconforming to the inside of said key socket, and means operativelyconnected with said rotatable element to actuate said bolt upon rotatingthe key.

6. In a look, a bolt, a pinion operable by a key having at one end asocket whose unobstructed cavity in cross-section perpendicular to theaxis of rotation is in asymmetric design relative to said axis and whoseexternal shape in cross-section is of selected design, a non-rotatableguard having an opening adapted topermitthepassage therethrough when inregister, of said key socket, a hub attached to said pinion and ofcross-sectional design conforming to the inside of said key socket, andmeans operatively connected with lszaid pinion to actuate said bolt uponrotating the '7. A look operable by a removable key having a socketwhose unobstructed cavity in cross-section is of selected design andwhose exterior is also of selected non-rotatable cross-sectional design,comprising a bolt, a casing including a front plate having an openingfor the key, a guard fixed relative to said casing and having an openingof cross-sectional design conforming to the external design of the keysocket and adapted to permit the passage therethrough when in register,of said key socket, a pinion whose axis is aligned with the axis ofrotation of the key when inserted in the look, a hub attached to saidpinion projecting toward the key opening and having a crosssectionaldesign conforming to the cross-sectional design of the key socketcavity, and means operatively connected with said pinion to actuate thesaid bolt upon rotating the key.

of line of the axis of rotation of said key and having a bearing for thekey shank concentric to the axis of rotation, a baffle plate disposedinward and in spaced relation to the front plate, a guard fixed relativeto said casing and having an opening of cross-sectional designconforming to the external design of the, key socket and adapted topermit the passage therethrough when in register, of said key socket, arotatable element, a hub attached to said rotatable element andprojecting toward the key opening and having cross-sectional designconforming to the cross-sectional design of the key socket cavity, andmeans operatively connected withsaid rotary element to actuate said boltupon rotating the key.

9. A look operable by a removable key having a socket whose unobstructedcavity in cross-section is of selected design and whose exterior is alsoof selected design, comprising a plurality of bolts, a casing includinga front plate having an opening for the socket key out of line of theaxis of rotation of said key and having a bearing for the key shankconcentric to the axis ofrotation,

a baflle plate disposed inward and in spaced relation to the frontplate, a guard fixed relative to said casing and having an opening ofselected design conforming to the external design of the key socket andadapted to permit the passage therethrough when in register, of said keysocket, a pinion whose axis is aligned with the axis of rotation of thekey, a hub attached to said pinion projecting toward the key opening andhaving cross-sectional design conforming to the crosssectional design ofthe key socket cavity, and means operatively connected with said pinionto project or retract a plurality of said bolts upon rotating the key.

10. A lock operable by a removable key having a socket whoseunobstructed cavity in cross section is of selected design and whoseexterior is also of selected non-rotatable design, comprising a bolt, acasing including a front plate having an opening for the key, a guardfixed relative to said casing and having an opening of selected designconforming to the external design of the key socket and adapted topermit the passage therethrough when in register, of said key socket,

a pinion whose axis is aligned with the axis of rotation of the key, ahub attached to said pinion projecting toward the key opening and havingcross-sectional design conforming to the crosssectional design of thekey socket cavity, and means operatively connected with said pinion toproject or retract said bolt upon'rotating the key.

11. A look operable by a removable key having a socket whoseunobstructed cavity is of selected non-rotatable design and whoseexterior is also of selected design, comprising a bolt, a casingincluding a front plate having an opening for the key, a primary guardnon-rotational having an opening of design conforming to the externaldesign of the key socket, a secondary non-rotational guard plate ofsimilar design disposed inwardly of the primary guard, a pinion whoseaxis is aligned with the axis of rotation of the key, a hub at hed tosaid pinion projecting toward the ke opening and having cross-sectionaldesign conforming to the design of the key socket cavity, and meansoperatively connected with said pinion to project or retract said boltupon rotating the key.

12. A look operableby a removable key having a socket whose unobstructedcavity in cross section is of selected design and whose exterior is alsoof the same selected cross-sectional design and identically orientedwith the axis of rotation, comprising a bolt having rack teeth, a casingincluding a front plate having an opening for the socket portion of thekey out of line of the axis of rotation of said key when fully inserted,a baflle plate disposed inward and in spaced relation to the frontplate, a guard, fixed relative to said casing and having an opening ofcross-sectional design conforming to the external design of the keysocket and adapted to permit the passage therethrough when in register,of said key socket, a pinion whose axis is aligned with the axis ofrotation of the key, and a hub attached to said pinion projecting towardthe key opening and of cross-sectional design conforming to thecrosssectional design of the key socket cavity, the said pinion engagingthe rack teeth of said bolt to project or retract the bolt upon turningthe key.

13. The lock structure as claimed in claim 12, and means operativelyconnected with the bolt on the back side of said casing for manuallyretracting or projecting said bolt.

14. The lock structure as claimed in claim 12, the cross-sectionaldesign of the hub being in corresponding register with the design of theopening of the guard when the bolt is completely retracted, and means onthe back side of said casing operatively connected with said pinion formanually rotating the hub whereby the design of the hub ismoved out ofregister with the design of the opening of the guard to prevent theinsertion of the socket key. v

15. In a locking device operable by a socket key whose cavity isunobstructed and whose exterior shape is of selected cross-sectionaldesign and is adapted to pass through a guard plate opening when thedesigns are in register, a nonrotatable guard plate having an opening ofselected design, and an element engageable by the interior of saidsocket key to which a rotary motion may be imparted by the turning ofsaid key.

16. A locking device operable by a removable key having a socket whosecavity in cross section is of selected design and whose exterior is alsoof selected cross-sectional design, comprising a casing including a.front plate having an opening, a baiiie plate disposed inward and inspaced relation to the front plate, a guard fixed relative to saidcasing and having an opening conforming to the cross-sectional design ofthe exterior of the key socket, a hub projecting toward the opening inthe front plate and having a cross-sectional design conforming to thedesign of the key socket cavity, and means operatively connected withsaid hub to produce a rotary movement upon rotating the key.

THOMAS J. CALDWELL.

